Keeping Secrets

I'm terrible at keeping secrets.  Let's just say that when I'm excited about something, I want to run down the halls and share with anybody and everybody who will listen.  That's how I feel about the upcoming school year.  This summer I read three amazing books: Kids Deserve It, Teach Like a Pirate, and Lead Like a Pirate!  Some of our faculty met over the summer to discuss the book, Kids Deserve It.  It was an experience that shaped how I want to engage teachers in professional learning this year.  If you haven't read the book, it is a quick read but it will inspire you to be brave and try new things.  All because, Kids Deserve It!  And we all know they do!  It's also a real gut check.

This year, I am planning to kick off a school-wide book study with Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess.  I wanted it to be a surprise... and I'm sure a few people will be surprised but it's been hard to contain my excitement.  There will be challenges. There will be team building. We might even act a little silly! I might even get "the alien look".  But I will now wear it like a badge because Kids Deserve It!  Why can't professional learning be fun?  We want our students to be engaged learners.  Adults need the same "hooks". My favorite quote from the book is "Pirates are daring, adventurous, and willing to set forth into uncharted territories with no guarantee of success." We need more pirates in education!

I started preparing by transforming our school "work room", basically a small beige room with copiers, mailboxes and a makeshift coffee bar.  Do you have one of those?  It's the most blah, boring room in the building. I wanted all our staff members to start their day with inspiration and reminders of the awesome job we are privileged to have! So the first stop for everyone in the morning is this "work room".  As a creative and performing arts elementary school, of course it had to be cute and 3-D! Here's a sneak peek... and it's not quite finished!

Back to school "Pirate style"



Our Meet the Crew board



It's going to be an adventure in learning!

In two weeks, our adventure begins! Next week, I will share some of the resources I created to guide us through our book study. I also hope to share insights, successes, and lessons learned throughout the year.  As with most schools, in our back to school meeting, there will be brand new teachers who are just starting their careers in education, seasoned teachers who have seen many initiatives come and go and may even be feeling a little weary, and teachers who are admittedly at the end of their careers and are looking toward retirement. It is my hope that this shared experience will touch each type of educator in the room and "feed" them as professionals.  My motto is "NO HANGRY TEACHERS! If teachers aren't fed professionally, they will burn out or look for "greener grass".

My goal is for every teacher in our school to be brave, try new things and create memorable learning experiences for our students.  I especially want to inspire our teachers to get connected with other educators and share our story. It all starts with creating a school culture that values creativity and doing what's best for kids! It's almost time to set sail!